Overview
Rapid City Shines as a Beacon of Science in the Midwest
Rapid City, the second largest city in South Dakota, is nestled in the heart of the American Midwest. Known as the Gateway to the Black Hills, Rapid City is situated in a beautiful natural setting, split down the middle by mountains. This has made the city an excellent location for researching the natural landscape of South Dakota ever since the discovery of gold brought settlers to the region. Today, Rapid City is home to the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, which boasts top-quality, hands-on engineering and science courses.
In addition to the excellent educational opportunities available at the School of Mines, the natural resources of the Rapid City region are an important part of the growing economy. State-of-the-art mining technology is employed in mining a number of materials, and the nearby Ellsworth Air Force Base contributes to the development of the region. Rapid City is also an important center of medicine for the entire Midwest region, with two major hospitals and a large number of specialized, independent medical centers.
These factors combine to make Rapid City an important center of natural science and technological development in the Midwest. This region of South Dakota provides opportunities and resources that are simply unavailable elsewhere in the country.
Experienced Faculty and Abundant Research Opportunities
The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has a rich tradition of research in a number of areas that are often neglected by other institutions. The faculty at the School of Mines encourages students to use research facilities to focus on topics that are relevant to today's world. Graduate engineering students have investigated topics as diverse as environmental issues and space voyages. All graduate students are given access to the high-tech research facilities available at the school, and the faculty collaborates with and receives abundant funding from such organizations as NASA and South Dakota state government.
Research facilities that have been designed and equipped to deal with the problems of materials science and engineering are often uncommon at academic institutions, so the facilities operated by the materials science and engineering program are particularly impressive. Materials science students have access to eight specialized laboratories, including a supersonic wind tunnel and an additive manufacturing laboratory.
In addition to these cutting-edge research facilities, graduate students at the School of Mines, working under the guidance of experienced faculty, can carry out research at a number of international sites, including locations in Mongolia and Guatemala. These excellent opportunities make the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology a center of research and a top choice for ambitious students looking for research-oriented training.
Materials Engineering Breaks Down Traditional Disciplines
In the realm of science and engineering, new fields are being created at breakneck pace, but the fields that often stand the test of time are those that incorporate scientific advancements from a number of different fields to work toward a clear goal. The area of materials engineering fits these criteria, and has already proved to be an important and lucrative discipline. Combining elements from all the natural sciences and applying them to the study of materials, this science has the potential to make discoveries and inventions that will be as important as plastics.
From nanotechnology to quantum mechanics, the topics of materials engineering are among the most important topics of our time. Among the top research centers in the field of materials engineering is the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The school offers both M.S. (with or without thesis) and Ph.D. degree programs, which encourage students to take a multidisciplinary approach to the science of materials, including how materials behave, are produced, and can be applied to solve today's most pressing problems.
Graduates of the SD School of Mines program have gone on to top positions in oil and chemical companies, as well as in the U.S. military. Materials engineering also encompasses biomedical technology and computer science, allowing students of this field to enter into top careers not only in the industrial sector but also in high-tech sectors.
